Commonalities of Our Species. If we view our societies as multi-cellular, biologic social organisms and capable of learning how to become adaptable, we must come to know without a doubt what values are essential to our survival, existence, maintenance of existence, social stability and social sustainability. With a clear understanding of those values, we as individuals and as small groups are similarly prepared to raise a signal to our community and society to know without a doubt when opportunities arise and when violated would threaten our survival.
The Innate Values of our Species. To harvest the awareness, intelligence and experience of millions of individuals in our society, much like the cells in a plant or animal, we must fully KNOW the intrinsic unifying values of our species that are common to each and every individual no matter what race, ethnicity, nationality, or gender. As discussed before1 that unity of oneness lies in the three core values that have supported the thriving survival of our species for over 40,000 years. Those values include a persistence to improve the quality of our lives, to grow, and to compete for appreciation of our lives as being of equal value as any other individual.
Another commonality is the motivation of individuals to work for the good of their family, community or society as they perceive the benefit they can contribute directly to others and indirectly to themselves. It is common, too, to see a whole community move cohesively for the good of itself and individuals when that society becomes aware that a necessary action is needed to bring about positive and constructive outcomes.
What has been missing to provide a consistent and conscientious forward movement in societies over the duration of time is consistent and conscientious input from its members about the changing conditions in and around it. Without the means of an “early alert” notice from its members to meet the challenges of its changing environment, societies become complacent, assuming that “everything is fine”. This is particularly dangerous in times of rapidly changing circumstances typical of our world today.
Methodology. What has been missing is a methodology for individuals to share their awareness and a means to gather their intelligence, knowledge and experiences. That would require the ability of millions of individuals in a large society to participate independently in developing the collective good according to their individual determination. While this may appear to be impossible and monumental, it is actually very possible and doable. What is needed is a strategic plan with the pragmatic means to move those millions of individuals as a society to become self-organizing, self-directed and self-adaptable much like a murmur of birds. The culture of technologically developed democratic societies has already prepared those millions of individuals to begin working together as a murmur of birds toward their mutual survival, social stability and eventually their mutual social sustainability. Such oneness cannot be initiated by any top down authority, but must be a personal choice made by individuals who understand the necessity of working toward the survival of their society and community, and themselves.
When we see the commonality of the three core values of social sustainability to all people, we should soon realize that national boundaries and even languages are insignificant impediments to the potential benefit that can be achieved. When millions of people in the transnational community of developed democracies begin to alert each other to threats to the stability of their nations, and have a means to begin collecting and applying their wisdom, experience and skills for creating solutions, then what is proposed will make eminent good sense. What is proposed is applicable to all language groups and easily adaptable to all developed democratic nations.
Four Synergistic Systems. What is proposed are four interactive, synergistic systems that engage the dynamics of social sustainability; and are adaptable to address the issues and topics of economic and political sustainability.
If we are to design a society that is self-organizing, self-directed, and self-adjusting we will have to design it with systems that empower it to learn from itself to improve the quality of life of individuals and the whole society, and has feedback processes in place that empower that society to learn from its successes and mistakes; that support that society to grow and evolve into a socially sustainable society; that appreciates each individual as an equally valuable asset of society, its communities and to themselves; and, empowers each individual to participate in choosing the options of survival, existence, social stability and social sustainability for their society, community, and ultimately their own lives.
1 Raphael, Daniel, "Fundamentals of Social Sustainability– Designing Sustainable Societies, Democracies and Economies".